An Englishman of forty years residence in Wales pontificates about politics (slightly off-message), films and trivia. Secretary of Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democrats. Candidate for Neath in the Westminster elections of 1997 & 2017 and the Welsh general election of 2016.

Friday, 6 September 2013

State finance for election campaigns

As Peter Black wrote in another context, "if only they had done it when in power" - or, rather, if they had recognised then that big trade unions were just as much vested interests as business corporations. Only if you believe that the nice Mr McCluskey or the sweet Mr Murdoch are utterly altruistic and have the best interests of the British electorate at heart when they outspend parties such as the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru on election propaganda can you resist the argument for independent funding for serious political parties.

Incidentally, I was heartened by one figure in the chart accompanying the Independent article: that we raise £150,000 more than the Conservatives from the membership.